One way or another
by Carlina
Summary: ONESHOT!  Scratch that, it's a SERIES of oneshots!  Anyway, it's only rated T because I usually find that K rated stories aren't always viewed as much... ELIxOC!
1. One way or another

"Get the laundry!" My mother yelled. I sighed in annoyance as I pushed the computer chair out from under me and trudged to the laundry room five feet away.

"Why can't you do it?" I mumbled, glad she didn't hear it. The heat from the dryer blasted out at me as I opened the door. I folded the pink towels that belonged to my sister, her shirts, and all her personal items… I slammed the little door shut and sat back down at my laptop. I was typing when I got a text message. My eyes widened as I looked up at the kitchen window of my third-story apartment.

"No way," I whispered. My mom didn't even look up at me, intensely playing her computer game. I casually walked into the kitchen and closed the blinds so the outside was seemingly inexistent. I opened the sliding screen door and stepped out, shutting it behind me. I pressed my lips into a hard line and crossed my arms over my chest, "Explain yourself."

Eli looked at me with a smug smirk, "I wanted to see you."

"Then stalk my Facebook!" I quietly yelled at him, "My mom could walk over here and see you at any second! Do you want me to-"

"Carson?" My mom called from the dining room. Please be leaving, I thought to myself. "I'm leaving."

I looked up at the rooftop of my balcony and thanked God.

"Stay here and shut up!" I slammed the screen door and ran to lock the door after my mom left. I looked back and there was Eli, sipping on a soda, lying lopsidedly in my big comfy chair, "I can't keep sneaking you up here! Sooner or later someone's going to find me out."

"I'm sorry," He put the soda down and pulled me into his lap, kissing my forehead. His soft lips…

In the words of Kesha, his love is my drug.

It started to feel really warm in my living room, "It's so hot in here."

"Sorry, should I leave?" He smirked.

"You are so into you." I hit his arm and turned up the AC, "It's August, I meant. It's really hot outside."

I sat back down with him and he started to play with my hair. I picked up his soda and took a big 'sip,' setting it back down and lying down heavily on his chest. I purposely pressed down using my neck. I waited for him to yelp or something. There it was!

"What are you doing that for?" He squirmed, trying to adjust to the pressure.

"Revenge for almost getting me grounded." I decided I was done being mean and I moved so I could nuzzle his neck. He started to laugh.

"Stop, I'm ticklish." He gently pushed me off, but not in a mean way. I jammed my fingers into his collar and tickled him, then moving to his rib cage. Laughing uncontrollably, he stood up and, of course this would happen TO ME, the soda next to the chair spilled.

I ran to get cleaner and chucked the paper towels at Eli. He ripped a bunch of f the role and started to scrub the potential stain. I sighed and sprayed the spot. He ran to get the trash bin to throw it all away when the lock on my door started to jiggle. My eyes widened, "My brother's home!"

"See you later! I'm so sorry about the spill." He kissed the top of my head and my hand and ran out onto the balcony and slipped down the fire escape.

My brother walked into the apartment, used the bathroom, and then left again yelling, "Come lock the door. And I'm telling mom about you drinking soda in the living room. You are so grounded."

One way or another, I was grounded because of my boyfriend.


	2. Sunset cliché

Of course this would happen to me, because the Universe and I are not friends at all. I slammed my fist against the steering wheel of my car and started to scream in frustration. I stomped my foot on the gas pedal and clenched the wheel so hard my knuckles turned whiter than usual. I have been sitting here for an hour. My phone is dead and I'm pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

Knock. Knock. Knock. I turned my head and rolled down the window, "What do you want?"

"Having troubles, Caitlin?" He smirked. I hate his face. Is he stalking me?

"Nope." I lied, starting to roll up the window.

"Wait, I can help."

"No thanks," I said quickly, and then I heard his muffled voice behind the glass. I smiled and waved joyfully. He ran around the car and opened the passenger door, sliding in next to me just a little closer than necessary. He looked at me with a goofy grin on his face.

"Take me for a drive," He commanded in a serious tone that he thought he could pull off.

"Nah, I'd rather stay here and look deeply into your eyes." I really hoped he knew I was joking, "And I couldn't do that and watch the road at the same time or we'd crash. Is that what you want, Eli?"

"No, of course not." He batted his eyelashes, "Just drive."

"I um…" I stalled, "Think I'd much rather go for a run. Besides, you have your own car 10 feet behind me."

He grabbed my arm as I tried to exit the vehicle. He pulled me back and looked at me expectantly, a little smug. I sighed an angry sigh and looked at him, then he said, "Just start the car."

"I don't want to." I said confidently.

"If you don't I'll-"

"You'll what?" I challenged him. He smirked.

"I'll kiss you," He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, please." I looked at him daringly. I turned the key in the ignition and waited for it to go "CHACHUNKA."

"That was not a pretty sound," He laughed, "Sounds like you've got a dead battery."

"Thank you, now can you go away."

"No way, I'm gonna help you." He hopped out of the car and jogged over to his own, driving it slowly and parking it right in front of mine. I waited boredly as he opened the back of the car. I hopped out.

"Wait!"

"What?" He looked at me strangely.

"I've never been in the back of a hearse." I jumped inside.

"I didn't think you'd _want _to." He chuckled and hopped in, grabbing jumper cables and sliding out the back. He popped the hood of my car and attached the thingy to the thing and did the same with his car.

"Okay, go start the car." He said, gesturing for me to get in the car. I did as I was told and my car started without any problems.

"Thank you soooo much! I am so glad to have you," I jumped on him, my legs wrapped around his waist and my arms around his neck, my head against his cheek. He put his arms around me and sat down on the edge of the back of Morty. I squeezed him tighter, too scared to back away. I finally found the courage and I pulled away from him, still sitting in his lap. He looked at me with his lopsided smile. It was all too much, "I owe you."

"Five million dollars, please." He held out his hand for me to place the money in it.

"Hah, how about…" I reached into my pockets, "A dime, a piece of lint, some sour apple bubbalicious gum…"

"I have a better idea." He said, not even bothering to smirk. Maybe he thought it would ruin the moment? He was 100% sincere.

"Do you?" I shoved all that crap back into my pocket and waited for him to say something.

"Indeed, I do." I started to lean in, waiting for him to kiss me. He leaned away from me, "Whoah."

"What?" I said embarrassed, "I thought you wanted to kiss me."

"Easy, C," He patted my hand, which was now resting on his chest, "I never said that."

"But you… and I… and you said… You're such a butt!" I pouted, "So you don't want to kiss me? At all? Ever?"

"Well, sure, but I don't think you should kiss me because you have to. It should be special." He smiled sweetly, "Now… as for your debt."

"Oh, God…" I closed my eyes and waited for him to condemn me.

"I'd like to see you dance." He smirked.

"Dance? Are you kidding me? I am completely uncoordinated." I protested.

"Exactly. Now go, shoo shoo!" He ushered me out onto the grass.

"You are such a… a poopoo dunderhead!" I stuck my tongue out at him.

"What's that?" He made a face.

"It's a glorified poopface. My friend's little sister made it up." I stood there, trying to distract him. Maybe he'll evolve into a normal teenage boy and forget all about this and start thinking about watching girls in gym class. I was so wrong.

"Dance!" He cheered. I groaned and started to dance around, summer-salts and crap like that. He started to laugh hysterically, "You're so talented."

"Thank you!" I trudged over to him after mortifying myself. He clapped, and even though he didn't say anything, I knew he was thinking something sarcastic.

"Now, about that kiss…" He leaned in.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah, lover boy." I held my hand up to his face, "I'm not ready."

"You were ready five minutes ago?" He said in confusion. I had to admit it, he really was adorable.

"Yes, but now I'm over it. You'll just have to wait." I looked over at him. He had an extremely sad face, he sighed and put his head back against the side of the car, but I saw that smile when he saw me looking at him.

I noticed that the sun was setting. I scooted closer to him.

"I thought you weren't ready." He said mocking me, but not in a mean way.

"Well, look at that," I pointed toward the setting sun, "It's just too much of a cliché to pass up."

"Good point," He smiled his goofy smile and leaned, putting his hand on my cheek. Then our lips touched very gently. I could feel him smile in the kiss. I pulled away and smiled slightly. He opened his eyes and I saw the emeralds beaming at me. Even the orange and red sun couldn't hide his blush, but I wouldn't let him know.

I leaned up and kissed his cheek before I walked back to my car. I had to restrain myself by thinking about my dead bird to keep myself from jumping up and down. I waved at him from inside the car as I slowly drove past him. I looked in my rearview mirror; he was just staring after the car.


	3. Mistletoe

Waiting outside in the cold while your dog craps on the apartments' lawn is not an idealistic way to spend your Christmas Eve. I so should have worn another jacket over this. The snow fell down rapidly; if it were just a little harder it might have bruised my skin. Man, how I wish I had a sarcastic, sweet boy to wrap his warm arms around me right about now…

So, I said that because I heard Eli's footsteps crunching and packing down the snow, "Boo."

"Hello," I grabbed one of my dog's poop bags and made a face as I picked up my puppy's _business_. It smells.

"Merry Christmas, Courtney!" He said joyfully, over exaggerating the statement by adding ridiculous hand gestures. I wrapped the bag-o-poo and chucked it into the dumpster just a few feet away. I readjusted my dog's leash and continued to walk her around, "What, no celebration-hug?"

"Um, Elijah Goldsworthy…" I emphasized his purely Hebrew name, "I thought you were a Jew."

"But you aren't." He smiled sincerely, "And I happen to know that you love Christmas."

"Been creeping on me?" He laughed as I said this.

"Maybe," He sat down next to me on a snow-covered bench, "I've been working on your present for a long time now, and I'm pretty sure it's exactly what you want."

"Really? What?" I beamed at him, but he only shook his head and smiled, telling me that I would have to wait until tomorrow, "You big meanie!"

I continued to walk my dog, but now back in the direction of my own apartment. There was a loud bang, probably a plow truck, and my dog pulled on her leash in every which way. I almost slipped on a patch of ice, so I unhooked her collar from the leash and let her run to our building. She's smart enough to know which one is hers.

"Would you like to come inside?" I offered, really truly hoping he would say yes. I looked at him anticipating.

"Well… sure, why not?" He smiled at me, kicked the snow off his shoes and shook out his jacket. I opened the door and let my frightened dog, Eli, and myself inside. We climbed up the four flights of stairs and I unlocked my door.

I called out to my family, "Mom, I brought a friend."

"Is it Jessica?" She referred to my friend who lived in the building across from us.

"No, it's Eli, from school." I hung my scarf up and pulled my hair back into a big black clip. I put on some chap stick because my lips were terribly cracked, and then I offered it to Eli. Then I realized that by using my lip balm he would be indirectly kissing me…

"Thank you," He put it on his bottom lip and then smushed his two lips together, rubbing it all over, spreading it evenly. For a second he looked like a mule, and then he grinned, handing it back to me.

"Eli? Oh, the one from your science class?" My mom called out again from the kitchen. She had two hours to make a dinner for ten people. I was not exactly happy that my family was visiting, mostly because I hate 90% of them. Whatever.

"Yeah, mom, the one from science class," I rolled my eyes and brought him into the joint dining room-kitchen area. My mom's eyes widened as she saw his apparel, but then her features softened when she noticed how sweet and honest he looked. He held his hand out for her to shake it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Joles," said Eli. I'm so glad he did not call her 'Mrs.' referring to my jerk of a father. One point for Eli.

"You too, dear. Courtney, would you mind helping me for a minute?" She gestured to the fridge, "Please get me out a dozen eggs and a quarter cup of sugar, three teaspoons of salt, and two cups of milk."

Geez, what is she making? I got what she needed and then when I turned around Eli was actually _helping _my mom cook! He already had flour all over his black blazer, and a little bit on his cheek. It made him look super cute…

By the end of the hour, we were both coated in white powder. I brushed it all off on the balcony, Eli coming out right after me. My mother closed the kitchen window's blinds, giving us some privacy. I laughed as Eli flailed around, hopelessly trying to return his black clothes to normal coloring. Failure…

"Here, let me help." I started to rub the flour off of his shirt with my wrist. He looked down at me, and I didn't even realize what I was doing. We were suddenly super close to each other. I looked up at him and felt my breathing go jagged. I saw his Adam's apple move, meaning he swallowed, meaning he's uncomfortable or nervous. Great, I made him uncomfortable… or nervous.

"Umm…" I stepped away quickly, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me back again. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a little red box. I watched intently as he pulled out a little piece of mistletoe. Wow, he's cheesy. But nevertheless, I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him into a kiss. I heard a cough coming from the doorway. My brother stood there with a pissed-off look on his face. Greattt…..


End file.
